Device said to include multiple fitness sensors, could come in several sizes.

Rumors and tips from anonymous sources are beginning to pile up as the suspected launch date for Apple's long-rumored wearable draws nearer. This week we've heard two separate reports sourced from people "familiar with the matter" who claim to know when the iWatch will launch, and a little more about what it will do and look like.

Further Reading

Sharing, productivity, and seamless organizing are the new OS' priorities.

Reuters said yesterday that the fabled "iWatch" will have a curved 2.5-inch touchscreen that is "slightly rectangular" and that it will feature wireless charging technology rather than using a Lightning or USB port. The Wall Street Journalreported today that it would also have "more than 10 sensors" to track health and fitness data, which it would feed into the Health app that will ship with iOS 8 in the fall. The Journal'sreport also says that the device "will likely come in multiple screen sizes," though the anonymous source wasn't more specific than that.

Both reports claim that Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer will be building most of the watches for Apple, though they can't agree on exactly when production will begin. The Journal claims that "trial runs" will begin next month and that the design had not yet been finalized, while Reuters says "mass production" will begin in July. Both agree that Apple's expected launch window is somewhere in October, as reported by Re/code earlier this month. The Journal says that Apple is planning to ship between 10 and 15 million units before the end of 2014, and Reuters' source claims this will increase to 50 million by the end of the first year of availability.

As always, reports like these should be viewed with some skepticism, especially on the points where they conflict—both publications are more reputable than Apple rumor sites or DigiTimes, but even the facts that are true as of this writing might change by the time the device actually launches.

Andrew Cunningham / Andrew has a B.A. in Classics from Kenyon College and has over five years of experience in IT. His work has appeared on Charge Shot!!! and AnandTech, and he records a weekly book podcast called Overdue.